Crafting with multiple ages

[daycaremom9]

How does everyone craft with so many ages? I find I try and do a craft with the older children and the younger ones want to of course do it as well. I find it difficult as they all seem to need a lot of 1:1 to prevent ingestion of the art work, help gluing and cutting. Any tips to make this go smoothly?

Also, I would love simple craft ideas that have worked for you.

When I have a 4 or 5 year old they generally don't have a nap so I do a craft with them during nap time. The younger kids do their craft in the morning.

[torontokids]

I have all nappers and my oldest is 3.5. Even when they don't nap they lay on their cots.

[Momof4]

My group is 10 months, 18 months, 24 months, 2.75yo & 3.5yo so I feel your pain right now Torontokids. Boy, am I feeling the pain!

I do crafting one of two ways, by calling each child to the craft table one at a time while the others are playing in the toyroom which is in my line of sight is the first way. The other way I do it is to have all 5 at the table in their booster chairs and set them all up with colouring, then I go around the table one by one and help them make the major craft.

By the way, for the under 2's I use a little bit of tape on 2 sides of the paper to keep it in place and give them washable markers so they get more than they can get with crayons which take more power.